Category Archives: griping

This is going to be a rambling post so, I hope you will forgive me for that. The last several months have been very challenging for me and I am still trying to find my way through it. In the Fall, I was diagnosed as having anxiety and depression which was not particularly shocking to […]

I belong to a Yahoo group called Unschooling Resources and one of the topics of discussion today was about another Yahoo group to which I belong, Unschooling Basics. One member, we’ll call her “Lucy” was advising another to stay as far away from Unschooling Basics as possible. They’re letting their children run wild and watch […]

Enjoyed reading your comments. I was also scratching my head over why someone would waste time reading at a group they didn’t like. I just unsubscribe myself if it’s not what I need.

Glad you’re willing to hang in and really understand what is being written. I’m certainly not some “perfect” unschooling parent…just someone that believes in doing better every day.:)

whimsigal -July 31, 2007 - 1:22 pm

Thank you for stopping by! Your site, along with Sandra Dodd’s and Danielle Congers, gave me so much inspiration when I was searching for a better way to be with my children.

I am definitely hanging in there and am glad to see that even for someone like you, it’s a day-by-day process.

Stephanie -July 31, 2007 - 7:05 pm

Since I belong to both also (but haven’t read at Resources for about a year) I had to go check stuff out.Psh.Drives me crazy that people would say “unschooling means child led” but that ru means “unparenting”. For Heaven’s sake.To me it’s just a natural extension, encouraging my children to be more of whom they are, and extending the respect for them past their “school” moments.

whimsigal -July 31, 2007 - 7:17 pm

Isn’t funny how many times your path crosses with people in the internet world? But for these blogs we write, we may not have ever known each other in spite of being members at some of the same groups!

I like the way you worded that, “a natural extension…extending the respect for them past their “school” moments.” That is a great way to sum up unschooling.

Laura -August 2, 2007 - 4:50 pm

Hallo, I’m an unschooling mum too! I’m not on UB but I’m on the UnschoolingDiscussion list. I love it, and I need it. I agree that it’s a curious thing to have folks who disagree with the philosophy stay on, probably in hopes of changing minds? I joined a local homeschooling egroup in hopes of meeting like-minded folks. Well, HUGE disappointment when one of the first discussions was of all the ritalin-type drugs their kids are on. Eek. But I couldn’t unsub for a while – it was like a train-wreck. I’d try to disagree respectfully but finally realized I was simply in the wrong place.

Best wishes on your unschooling journey! We’ve been following this path for 8 years now and it’s been wonderful.

whimsigal -August 2, 2007 - 6:14 pm

Laura, it’s so nice to hear from someone who has been living this way for 8 years!

I had a similar experience last February when I joined a local homeschooling group which was made up of a lot of unschoolers. Unfortunately, these ladies were of the unschooling = unparenting variety as their children were running around bullying the younger kids in the group and they did nothing. My kids had been so excited to meet some like-minded people but it ended up being a disaster. It’s so disappointing when something seems like it’s going to work out then it doesn’t.